WHAT'S UP DOC? Disaster phases

Tuesday

A: One definition of disaster from online Merriam-Webster is “a sudden calamitous event bringing great damage, loss, or destruction.” There are many aspects to dealing with a disaster.

The first question that comes up is what is the nature of the disaster? Is it a natural disaster, like an earthquake, hurricane (which may hit suddenly but which today we thankfully often have some advanced notice), flood, wildfire, or other natural catastrophe, or is it a manmade issue such as a terrorist attack, technology/infrastructure compromise (such as hazardous material release, unintentional explosion, other) or other? Since the specifics of the ‘great damage, loss or destruction’ depend on the cause of the disaster, an ‘all hazards approach’ where all possible causes are considered is an important concept.

When taking this all hazards approach into consideration there are ‘phases’ to addressing a disaster, usually categorized as mitigation (which includes prevention), preparation, response and recovery.

Mitigation occurs well before the disaster hits, and attempts to minimize the vulnerability for a negative impact from a disaster. At the community level this includes assessment of the community’s needs and vulnerabilities, having appropriate design requirements (like storm runoff, building codes, dams, placement of critical structures like where chemical factories, hospitals, etc. are located, and other considerations), creating an all hazard emergency response plan, having an appropriate warning system (such as sirens to warn the community of tornados or other dangerous situations), educating the population, as well as other factors. At the individual level this may include preparing someone’s house prior to a hurricane, obtaining appropriate insurance, having functional fire detectors, etc.

Preparation includes authorities making a decision to have people evacuate prior to a storm hitting or to shelter in place, having assets staged (for example having stockpiles of water, food, supplies for shelters, etc. in strategic locations), having other resources mobilized (such as having utility crews and other infrastructure support assets mobilized, medical support ready, etc.), having memos of understandings in place to mobilize resources (such as fire departments have to aid each other in events too large for the individual department to handle), insuring appropriate response resources are equipped and trained, etc. At an individual level this should include having a plan (where will the family meet if communications are interrupted and the family is split up, how should you evacuate your home in an acute emergency, how will you communicate if cell towers are down, etc.), having appropriate supplies (flashlights, food, water, medications, etc.), considering specific needs of your family (including pets), knowing your evacuation routes, and having a plan as to where to shelter.

The response aspect of a disaster is what usually receives the most press. This is where the plan (from preparation phase) is executed. It is often said that the initial response to a disaster is local; this is meant to acknowledge the fact that it usually takes some time to mobilize resources that are not yet in place, and since local resources (like the EMS system, fire department, law enforcement and other emergency responders) are integrated into the community, their ability to respond immediately is relied upon. Rescues are an important part of the immediate response. As the disaster unfolds, the damage needs to be assessed, the specific resources required identified, and those resources mobilized. This mobilization of assets includes moving the material and human resources to the appropriate locations where they are needed and supporting them (with resupply, security, communications, etc.), and very importantly coordinating all the resources (including coordination between local, state and the federal government, as well as coordination with non-governmental organizations such as the Red Cross and others, and local businesses and other agencies).

The recovery phase of a disaster is where the work is done to get things ‘back to normal.’ This will include clean up, rebuilding, insuring utilities (electricity, clean water, sewer, etc.) are back up and functioning, etc. It also includes getting businesses back up and running (for example opening supermarkets, utilities, pharmacies, hospitals, law enforcement, etc.). At an individual level this will include cleaning up and rebuilding someone’s home, getting back to school/work/daily routines.

Everyone should have a plan on how they and their family will respond to a disaster. The Red cross has useful guidance to help in this planning at https://www.redcross.org/content/dam/redcross/atg/PDF_s/Preparedness___Disaster_Recovery/General_Preparedness___Recovery/Home/ARC_Family_Disaster_Plan_Template_r083012.pdf.